Does Style Matter: Comparison of Moderate- to Low-intensity Styles of Yoga

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if yoga works to improve sleep and heart health in adults with and without insomnia disorder. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does the style of yoga impact participants heart health overnight?
* Does the style of yoga improve participants sleep following a single session? Researchers will compare adults with insomnia disorder to adults with healthy sleep .

Participants will:

* Complete a moderate-intensity yoga practice, a low-intensity intensity yoga practice, and a quiet rest period while watching a nature documentary in the evening on three separate evenings
* Participants will have their sleep and heart health measured using a watch and heart rate monitor overnight following each visit

Conditions

• Insomnia
• Health Adult Subjects
• Insomnia Disorder
• Heart Health Markers

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Vinyasa yoga

Participants will follow a pre-recorded standardized sequence that includes a person demonstrating each sequence and provides verbal cues for the vinyasa yoga session. The 60-minute vinyasa yoga protocol incorporated standing, seated, and supine postures and included the following order of sequences: integration, sun salutations, crescent lunge series, balancing, standing, back bending, and restorative series.

BEHAVIORAL

Gentle yoga

Participants will follow a pre-recorded standardized sequence that includes a person demonstrating each sequence and provides verbal cues for the gentle yoga session. This sequence focuses primarily on seated and supine postures and is designed to be accessible, safe, and restorative. All poses are low-impact and supported using yoga blocks to promote comfort and reduce physical strain.

OTHER

Non-active control

The non-active control session, participants will complete a quiet rest period while watching a nature documentary. The film is educational in nature and has been carefully selected to avoid any graphic, distressing, offensive, or psychologically sensitive content. It is commercially available and rated G for general audiences. Participants will be asked to remain seated and refrain from the use of electronic devices. A staff member will remain present to ensure participants following procedures.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• American College of Sports Medicine

  collaborator OTHER

• Caitlin Cheruka

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-01

Primary Completion

2026-09-30

Completion

2026-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations